Is 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy a sensitive method for detecting bone lesions in multiple myeloma?

Mohsen Vakili Sadeghi; Sadegh Sedaghat

doi:10.22088/cjim.9.2.140

Is 99m Tc-methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy a sensitive method for detecting bone lesions in multiple myeloma?

Caspian J Intern Med. 2018 Spring;9(2):140-143. doi: 10.22088/cjim.9.2.140.

Authors

Mohsen Vakili Sadeghi^{1

2}, Sadegh Sedaghat^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Cancer Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
² Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Bone lesion in multiple myeloma (MM) is most commonly presented as a lytic lesion in this disease. Determination of extent of bone lesions in MM is necessary to follow-up the patients. Whole body bone scan with 99m, Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) has a lower sensitivity than other modalities.

Methods: From the patients with MM admitted to Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital of Babol-Iran from 2009 to 2015, who had undergone whole body bone scan during diagnostic process, were entered into the study. Findings of bone scan were compared with MRI.

Results: Of the 19 patients, sixteen (84.2%) of them had positive finding in bone scan, fifteen (78.9%) had MRI of the spine. While of the thirteen patients who had positive finding in MRI, seven (53.8%) had more positive finding in thorcolumbosacral MRI than in bone scan.

Conclusions: 99m-Tc MDP bone scan is a sensitive but insufficient method for detecting bone lesions in MM.

Keywords: 99m-Tc methylene diphosphonate; Bone lesion; Multiple myeloma.